CHAPTER TEN
A Conversation with Grace Poole
"I didn't know he could sing,"I said. I felt very strange inside as I listened to Mrs. Fairfax speak.
"Oh yes, it's true. Blanche can also paly the piano. The Master Edward said she played [-----1-----] well."
"And this beautiful lady isn't married yet?"
"No, because I don't think the Ingram family has much money."
"But don't you think some rich [-----2-----] hasn't fallen in love with her? Mr. Rochester, for example...he has money, doesn't he?"
"Oh yes, he has money. But you see, Mr. Rochester is almost forty, and she's only twenty-five."
"Well, women marry men older than they are every day. And forty isn't old at all,"I said. Suddenlty Adele ran into the room, so we talked of other things. That night in my room I said some hard words to myself.
"Jane Eyre," I said to myself, "you are a fool! Why would a fine, wealthy gentleman like Mr. Rochester love you, a poor, plain governess? Just look at yourself in the mirror!" I decided that I would draw an honest picture of myself. Then I would draw one of Blanche Ingram, painting the most beautiful young woman I could imagine. Then, whenever I thought about Mr. Rochester, I could look at the two pictures and see the great difference between us. In this way, I would [-----3-----] my foolish dreams. Certainly Mr. Rochester would want to marry a woman like Blanche Ingram